Dice throwing device



y 7, 1957 A. L. ALVERNAZ 2,791,432

010s THROWING DEVICE Filed Oct. e, 1955 1/ FIG. ii E? i 22 g; I11 5;

/ V INVENTOR.

" n/vro/v/a A. m Vim 42 2,791,432 DICE THROWING DEVICE Antonio L.Alvernaz, San Francisco, Calif., assignor of one-half to W. EdwinWalgren, San Francisco, Calif.

Application October 6, 1953, serial No. 384,414

Claims. (21. 213-145 This invention relates to a dice game andparticularly to a sealed device providing means for unpredictablythrowing dice in a continuous sequence. The invention also relates to anadvertising medium which includes the dice throwing means as an integralpart thereof.

In historic times dice throwing games have always been popular and haveappeared among the several peoples in widely separated areas all overthe world. The prior art has produced some dice games which havemechanical mechanisms for throwing the dice, but, for the most part,they have required some form of human manipulation to accomplish theactual throwing of the dice. In these devices the operator mustphysically touch levers, pushbars, bell cranks and other mechanisms andis required to manually participate in the throwing of the dice andbringing the result of the throw in view for reading.

Other devices found in this art have been associated with clocks andclock mechanisms, but in each of these instances they have involved anintimate association with a clock mechanism together with pins, springsand com plicated movements, all of which produce wear, break and becomeout of adjustment. The difliculty of keeping them operating properly asintended has, for all practical purposes, rendered them impractical andinteresting only as a temporary plaything.

The objects of this invention have a very practical and logical solutionto the problems which have eiristed and among the objects is theprovision of a dice throwing device which has its own power unitoperating the dice throwing means positively and without association toany other mechanism.

Another object of the present invention is iii-produce such a devicewhere there are a minimum of movingparts and which requires a minimum ofadjustment, maint nance and service.

A further object is to produce a device which has a simple operation,easily understood, and not subject to the vagaries of springs, pins,bell cranks or the like.

A still further object is to produce a dice throwing machine where thepoints thrown will vary in the same un predictable manner as if the dicewere thrown by handin the usual manner of playing. 1

Further objects are to provide a construction ofmaxi mumsimplicity-economy, and ease of manufacture and also such furtherobjects, advantages and capabilities as will fully appear and as areinherently possessed by the device and the invention described herein.

The invention further resides in the combination, con struction andarrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and whilethere is shown therein a preferred embodiment thereof, it is to beunderstood. that the same is merely illustrative of the invention andthat the invention is capable of modification and change,

and comprehends other details of construction without of the ap- Y nitedStates Patent O F 2,791,432 ir wall ta m'entarysection of the base andshowing the motor in elevation and the dice chamber in section.

Figure 2 is a transverse vertical section taken on the line II II ofFigure 1. v

Figure 3 is a diagrammatic view of the dice chamber with the rotatingblade shown in an elevated position in full lines and the rotating bladewith its dice in reading position being shown in broken lines.

Figure 4 is a similar diagrammatic rendering of the dice chamber withthe blade past the angle of repose being shown in full lines and theunburdened blade being shown in broken lines.

Figure 5 is a front elevational view in section taken on the lines V-Vof Figure 3 and looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 6 is a front elevational view of the cage or chamber only showingthe dice expbsed for reading through a transparent window.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings in which like referencenumerals indicate like parts in the several views, and with particularreference to Figure 1, the entire device is mounted on a suitable base10 which may be of any desired form or shape. Not only is the base 10 asupport for the mounting of the dice throwing device, but it is also thesupport for any advertising form which may be used in conjunction with,or mounted with the device itself. The dice throwing device is acylindrical cage or chamber, preferably sealed, and made of atransparent plastic, and comprises a circular wall 11 with inner andouter covers 12 and 14, respectively. The

transparency of the material is purely optional, as all that is requiredto be transparent is a portion of the cylindrical wall 11 be lefttransparent as indicated between points 15 and 16. This represents asegment which is approirimately 15 above and 15 below the horizontal,but, obviously, this segment left for the visual reading of the dice,can be placed at any desirable location about the circumference.

Inside the cylindrical cage or chamber are two dice 17 and 18. Only twodice are shown in the present drawing because most dice games are playedwith two dice. If more'dice are required for any particular game, eithersmaller dice may be used, or the depth of the chamber can be increased.The cage or chamber is mounted with its axis in a horizontal plane bymeans of brackets 20 and 21, which are secured to the base 10. Only thebracket 20 is required, but the bracket 21 lends stability and firmnessto the entire structure. Mounted on the opposite side of the bracket 20is a drive motor 22, having a rotating stub shaft 23 which extends intothe chamber through apertures in the bracket 20 and the wall 12 andalmost reaches the inner face of the wall 14. The shaft 23 is rotated bythe motor 22 in any suitable manner, such as mechanical or electricalmeans, although Figure 1 shows the motor 22 as electrical with its leads24 and connector terminals 25. The stub shaft 23 may be flattened alongone portion thereof, which is inside the cage or chamber, to form achord which is shown at 26 in Figures 2 and 4. The chord 26 provides afiat surface for the mounting of a blade 27 which extends radially al-'attached blade 27 is shown to be clockwise, but it is obvious that therotation may be reversed if the window between points 15 and 16 is alsoon the opposite side.

The device operates as follows: The motor 22 is started so that the stubshaft 23 and its attached blade 27 are rotated clockwise at a speedpreferably not iri excess of from 2 to 5 R. P. M. and assuming astarting position such as is shown in Figures 1 and 2, the two dice areside by side resting on the bottom of the cage or chamber, and are infront of the blade 27. The blade 27 engages the rear faces of the dice17 and 18 and moves them along the perimeter on the inside of the wall11. The dice 17 and 18 are moved up continuously so that the surface,which is in contact with the inner face of wall 11', is exposed in thewindow, which is the transparent space between the points 15 and 16.' Itis during'the passage of the dice'betweenthese points that it ispossible to observe the markings on the face and exhibit the results ofthe throw. This is the only period when the result of each throw isknown. Beyond the point v16 inthe continuous rotation, the blade and thedice. move to the position shown approximately in Figures 3 and 5. Thedice 17 and 18, because of their individual weight and the law ofgravity, will moveidown against the trip 30. f The trip 30 is for thepurpose of canting the dice, suchas is illustrated in Figure 5, toinsure. a random throw and fall. As soon as the dice reach a positionbeyond the angle of repose, such as that shown in Figure 4, they willfall by gravity to the bottom of the cage or chamber. Sometimes theywill be thrown free. Some times they will strike the stub shaft, but inany event the throw is a random'one and completely unpredictable. Theblade 27 continues its path, freed of its burden, as is shown in Figure4 in broken lines, and continues until it engages the rear surfaces ofthe dice in the new position and begins again the cycle which has beenexplained.

The dice do not always fall so that they are lined up evenly as shown inFigures 1 and 2. However, upon contact and urging from the rear by theblade 27, they do line up so that as they start their upward travel,they are in the alignment shown in Figures 1 and 2. This is truealthough no pattern for the fall or the arrangement of the dice has beenobserved in hours of continual operation and observation.

In order to successfully practice the invention it is not necessary tohave the island trip 30. When this is omitted thedice, when reachingapproximately the 11:00 position shown in Figure 3,,will slide bygravity along the face of theblade 27, against the stub shaft 23 andwill remain therebriefiy until gravity takes charge and causes them tofall from this'position to the bottomrof the cage or cham* ber, The onlyreason for imposing the trip 30 is to cant these dice and to give thema-little further distance for falling and changing position. i

It will be observed thatthe rotation of the blade 27 continuously'b ingsthe dice in their new fall before the window area 15-16, without the aidof any human intervention, without the aid of any springs or triggeractions, Without any manipulation and without the intervention ofanything except the law of gravity. The device will operate continuouslyin this manner as long 'as the motor is operating. Electric motors ofthis character are very simple, run continuously for long periods, andrequire practically no maintenance.

It will be observed that a wall in front of this device witha window ofa size corresponding to the area indicated between 15 and 16, maycontain advertising or other informative information as a part of thehousing for the device itself, so that the continued gaze of theobserver for resultsof these individual throws of the dice will also bedirected to whatever material is on'thewall or housing. i

Iclaim: Y i" .1. A device for unpredictably rollingdice in continuoussequence comprising a base, a closed cylindrical dicecage having a depthsufficient to permit the free roll of at'least fall two dicelongitudinally side by side and having a window in a portion of itswall, dice within said closed cage, a support for said cage mounting ithorizontally on its axis, motor means for continuously rotating a stubshaft, said motor and stub shaft being mounted on said support with theshaft axially penetrating the interior of said cage for rotationtherein, and means'within said cage radially attached to said stub shaftfor contacting said dice at the bottom portion of said cage and liftingsaid dice in contact with the inner surface of said cage past saidwindow exposing only the outermost surface of the dice to full view andthen continuously moving the said .contacting means beyond the angle ofrepose causing the dice to fall in random fashion to the bottom of saidcage, said lifting means being solid and having a width just slightlyless than the depth of said cage.

2. A device for unpredictably rolling dice in continuous sequencecomprising a ba'se, a closed, cylindrical chamber of a depth sufficientto permit the free roll of at least two dice longitudinally side by sidehaving a window in a portion of its wall, ,a support for said chambermounting it horizontally on its axis, dice within-said chamber, motormeans for continuously rotating a stub shaft, said motor and stub shaftbeing mounted on said support with the shaft projecting axially into theinterior of said chamber, and means within said chamber radiallyattached to .Said stub shaft for contacting said dice at the bottomportion of said cage and lifting said dice in contact with the innersurface of said chamber past said window exposing only the outermostsurface 'of the dice to full view and causing them to fall by gravityfrom said contacting means to a new and different position at the bottomof said cage, said lifting means being solid and having a width justslightly less than the depth of said chamber.

3. A device for unpredictably rolling dice in continuous sequencecomprising a base, a closed cylindrical chamber of suflicient depth topermit the free roll of at least two dice longitudinally side by sidehaving a window in a portion of its Wall, a support for said chambermounting it horizontally on its axis, dice within said chamber, motormeans for continuously rotating a stub shaft, a stub shaft, said motorand stub shaft being mounted on said support with the shaft projectingaxially into the interior of said chamber, means Within said chamber.radially attached to said stub shaft for contacting said dice at thebottom of said cage and lifting said dice in contact with the innersurface of said chamber past said window exposing only the outermostsurface of the dice to full view and causing them to fall by grayity toanew and different position at the bottom of but within said chamber,said lifting means being solid and having a width just slightly lessthan the depth of said chamber, and a housing having an opening thereininv registry with and corresponding to said window.

4. A device for unpredictably rolling dice in continuous sequencecomprising a base, a closed cylindrical chamber of a depth suflicient topermit the free roll of at least two dice longitudinally side by sidehaving a window in a portion of its waH, a support for said chambermounting it horizontally on its axis, dice within said chamber, motormeans for continuously rotating a stub shaft, a stub shaft, said motorand stub shaft being mounted on said support with the shaft projectingaxially into the interior of said chamber, blade means within saidchamber radially attached to and rotating with said stub shaft forcontacting said dice at the bottom of said cage and lifting said di ceincontact with the inner-surface of said chamber past said window exposingonlythe outermost surface of the dice to fullview, causing them to fallby gravity to a new and different position at the bottom of but withinsaid chamber, said blade lifting means being solidand having a widthjust slightly less than'thc depth of said chamber, and trip means onsaid lifting means for canting said dice prior to their fallto insure afree random 5. A device for unpredictably rolling dice in continuoussequence comprising a base, a closed cylindrical chamber of sufficientdepth to permit the free roll of at least two dice longitudinally sideby side having a window in a portion of its wall, a support for saidchamber mounting it horizontally on its axis, dice within said chamber,a stub shaft having one side flattened to mount a radial blade, motormeans for continuously rotating the stub shaft, a said motor and stubshaft being mounted on said support With the shaft projecting axiallyinto 10 the interior of said chamber, a radial blade attached to androtating with said stub shaft Within said chamber for contacting saiddice in the bottom of said cage and lifting said dice in contact withthe inner surface of said chamber past said Window exposing only theoutermost sur- 15 face of the dice to full view and causing them to fallby gravity to a new and different position at the bottom of but withinsaid chamber, and trip means on said radial blade for canting said diceprior to their fall to insure 5 a free random fall.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS464,915 Slinn et al Dec. 8, 1891 624,172 Cahnbley May 2, 1899 1,545,903Junghans July 14, 1925 2,221,337 West Nov. 12, 1940 2,262,642 LibersonNov. 11, 1941 2,269,742 Smith Jan. 13, 1942

